Birmingham City favourite considered for League One job could be Gary Rowett’s first major decision

Birmingham City confirmed the appointment of Gary Rowett on an interim basis on Monday night.

Tony Mowbray will take a formal medical leave of absence until the start of the 2024/25 pre-season. Rowett will oversee the final eight games of the campaign and returns to St Andrew’s having been sacked seven years ago.

A notable decision that Blues announced was the makeup of Rowett’s coaching staff. Mark Venus who was overseeing things on an interim basis has been allowed to take a leave of absence. It leaves Rowett with first-team coaches Ashley Cole and Peter Shuttleworth, as well as goalkeeping coach Mark Taylor.

Two first-team coaches could be enough to get the club to the end of the season, but should Rowett want some assistance from his own people then he could look no further than one of his trusted lieutenant.

Supporters have made some suggestions about the possibility of bringing back Paul Robinson to the club. The 45-year-old was at Birmingham City as a player from 2012 to 2018. He later worked as an assistant coach to the under-23s team before being promoted to lead development coach.

A year down the line he was brought in to work as first-team coach under Gary Rowett at Millwall and worked there until his departure in October. Rowett will have to have a different assistant manager working alongside him this time around as his previous Adam Barrett stayed at Millwall, outlasting his Rowett's successor Joe Edwards.

It was reported back in February that Robinson was in the frame for the Port Vale job. The League One club opted to appoint former West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore, but Robinson was said to have had admirers at Vale Park.

Robinson in the aftermath of his departure from Millwall, resumed his playing career at the age of 44-years-old. He played for Claverdon in the Birmingham & District Football League, playing alongside his son. Revealing his ambitions back in November on the Baggies Broadcast, Robinson said: "I think what was important for me was the two-and-a-half-years I had travelling up and down the motorway and staying down away from family. It's time to reassess and re-evaulate where you want to go next.

"I think now is time to spend time with the family, I just want to switch off and play Saturday football with my lad and enjoy other people's company. Catch up with people I've missed over the last two and a half years."